Controversial evangelical tycoon couple Prophet Shepherd Bushiri (42) and his wife Mary are set to be extradited back to SA where they sensationally escaped from the claws of justice whilst awaiting trial.
The Chief Resident Magistrate Court in Lilongwe has ruled that Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary must be sent back to South Africa to face the music.
Bushiri, also known as “Major 1”, is to face three rape charges, forgery ,fraud and jumping bail. Mary, aged 25, also faces charges of fraud, forgery and bail-jumping.
The court has also ordered the couple to remain in custody until they are handed over to South African authorities. However, some charges—including theft, money laundering, and racketeering, among others, were dropped due to insufficient evidence. The Bushiris’ lawyer Wapona Kita has asked the court to pause the extradition order and grant the couple bail.
But state lawyer Dziko Malunda has argued that if bail is allowed, it should come with strict conditions, such as large sums of money, property guarantees and signed commitments from sureties.
The court is yet to make a ruling on the submissions by both the State and defence. The Bushiri’s ran a hugely popular charismatic church they had founded, the Enlightened Christian Gathering in the SA capital, Pretoria.
With a net value estimated at $150 million, the couple led a lavish lifestyle sponsored by millions they made from their church.
If convicted once they’ve returned to the SA courts, the Bushiri’s are highly likely to be sent behind bars for an awful long time.
